If you have had chickenpox, the virus stays dormant in your nerves for life. Shingles is that virus reactivating, usually as a painful band of blistering rash on one side of the body. The rash settles in a few weeks. The nerve pain that can follow it does not always.
Why the nerve pain matters
Post herpetic neuralgia is burning nerve pain that can last months after the rash clears. It becomes more likely with age, and it is the main reason vaccination is worth considering rather than waiting to treat an episode.
Who benefits most
- Adults over fifty, where risk rises steadily with age
- Anyone with a weakened immune system
- People on long term steroids or immune suppressing treatment
- Those who have already had shingles once and want to reduce the chance of another episode
- Anyone caring for family who cannot afford weeks out of action
What the appointment involves
We check your history, confirm the vaccine is suitable and give it in the upper arm. It is a two dose course, with the second dose a few months after the first. We book both at the same time so the course is not left half finished.
A sore arm for a day or two is a fair trade against weeks of nerve pain.
Side effects to expect
Arm soreness, tiredness, headache or mild aches for a day or two are common and mean your immune system is responding. We tell you what is normal, and what would be worth ringing us about.
Speak to our pharmacist
Vaccinations run in the private consultation room at Safys Chemist on Melton Road, with appointments most days. If you are unsure whether it is right for you, come in and ask before you book.
